Two Week Countdown!

[Blastomatic]

After months of planning and fretting (so much fretting!) my wife and I are finally a fortnight away from leaving for our Sarria - Santiago stretch on October 4th. And we may be ready for it, or as ready as one can be in a world where God laughs as man plans.

I'd ask worriedly about bedbugs... but after reading here, I know what signs to look for, how to treat myself and my gear in the event of... but I'm still working on letting go.
I'd ask worriedly about getting caught out in a village with 'completo' on every albergue... but after reading here, I know to leave early and arrive early, to book ahead when we stop for lunch, and that there's always a church floor... but I'm still working on letting go.
I'd ask worriedly about my gear, if it's too much or not enough... but after reading here, I know that our gear is just right (10kg for me, 8k for her), that you pack your fears, that Spain apparently has stores where things can be bought... but I'm still working on letting go.

The remaining point of concern is making the distance day after day. We are very large people, 150kg without packs, and have been preparing for the last two months by walking around our block - 1km exactly - an increasing number of times daily; we are up to 5km at a time, with an altitude increase of 40m per km. But we recently did a 16km hike with full gear in Yosemite National Park (yay California) on a sand trail that was 'flat' (i.e. 10m level, 10m up, 10m down, repeat) and we were both utterly thrashed at the end of the day with just enough energy to gobble pasta and then sleep for ten hours. Plus side: only one small easily-threaded blister between the two of us.

Not only were we thrashed, but we only were able to keep a pace of 2kph, breaks and pauses included. I know that sand is the absolute worst for keeping up a good pace, but my wife is disheartened after this trip; as a backcountry thru-hiker myself, accustomed to weeklong trails, I know that when morale and mood are lost, so goes everything else.

So now my wife is going crazy trying to plan daily stages such that we will not be thrashed, and I want to set her at ease. We've got 8 days scheduled, with two extra buffer days. So if you yourself a person of size who did the Camino, or maybe you traveled with someone who was/is, or if you took a long time (8-10 days) to go from Sarria to Santiago, or if you're a planning guru who has perfected daily planning for the last 113km, I want to know your insights - are we doomed?

And for those of you who are more average framed, which stretch, if any, in Sarria-Santiago did you find challenging, or found you had to walk for an extended time between towns with albergues, items along that line. We've been through the guidebooks, but they don't get to the heart of the experience quite like actual pilgrims can.

Thanks for all of the excellent previous posts that provided much assistance, and thanks in advance for your thoughtful commentary on the above.

 

[SYates]

... I know that our gear is just right (10kg for me, 8k for her), that you pack your fears, that Spain apparently has stores where things can be bought... but I'm still working on letting go.

No, sorry, it isn't right. 8-10kg (without water and food, I assume is just overkill for the Sarria to Santiago stretch. Please post your packing list and many of us are happy to chime in and help you to trim things down.

... We are very large people, 150kg without packs, and have been preparing for the last two months by walking around our block - 1km exactly - an increasing number of times daily; we are up to 5km at a time, with an altitude increase of 40m per km. But we recently did a 16km hike with full gear in Yosemite National Park (yay California) on a sand trail that was 'flat' (i.e. 10m level, 10m up, 10m down, repeat) and we were both utterly thrashed at the end of the day with just enough energy to gobble pasta and then sleep for ten hours. Plus side: only one small easily-threaded blister between the two of us.

Meaning you are severely unfit and, sorry, seriously overweight. To walk the Camino without health complications, I suggest to schedule no more than 10km / day. Overdoing things/exhaustion can and has been killed people ...
You are not doomed, there is plenty of accommodation around on that stretch, you just have to go easy on your bodies - you have the whole day for walking in the end ...

Sarria to Santiago doesn't have any particularly strenuous stretches nor any stretches lacking water or food. Just take it easy, slowly and with patience and you will do fine. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Carey44]

Hi. No advise but may meet you on route , I leave on October 6 th on the same route so if my legs allow I may catch up with you , I'm alone and looking forward to it. X

 

[Blastomatic]

I may not have been totally clear and my apologies for that; our packs are 10 and 8kg fully burdened with 2L of water and snacks. Also I ditched my kettle and tiny stove for a 500g drop. So our base weights are 7.5kg for me and 6kg for her.

The root of the trouble in the Sierras was that our hike was at 3000m altitude and we both had a bit of sickness as a result. Recent 16km days back-to-back on a local route more like the Camino - a wide path that is pavement for half the way and gravel/dirt for the rest of the way - showed that we needed some sock liners for extra cooling and sweat relief but otherwise none of the usual issues that can crop up on an extended walk.

I think the biggest adjustment is for me; I am used to backpacking in bear country without resupply and hauling 20kg+ loads with all the necessities and emergency gear piled in, and so it took real effort to not carry a tent, emergency food, water purification, that sort of thing. But my wife is a day walker who is thrilled to carry just clothes and basics.

Also I started planning daily routes and had to stop myself - I was getting obsessed and fretting! I will take every day as it comes on the Camino!